Suggest Tests To Diagnose AVM Or DAVF

Posted on Fri, 30 May 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 31 May 2014 Answered on

Fri, 20 Jun 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : I hit the back of my head- 2 days later woke with dbl/ blurry vision, confusion , pressure back of head, hands clenched. Saw Nero,had an MRI was told migraine. I am 58yrs no Hx of headache - continued with all kinds of symptoms, 10 months later- huge symptoms again whooshing R ear, high pitch noise, confusion, eyes not. Able to look up- nystagmus. 2nd MRI / MRA- report said no change (pineal cyst 8mm ) another year passed with cognitive changes continent occipital pressure so....new MRI added MRV that shows blocks in flow of SSS and transverse with either an avm/ DAVF! The mrv report doesn't state any of this though. ( I am. Nurse it's very clear in the pic's) so what other test should I have? An angiogram?
Would having a cerebral angiogram be the best way to see an AVM/ DAVF.

Answered by Dr. Sweta Singla (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You are right...

Detailed Answer:
For the diagnosis of AVM or DAVF that is suspected in your case , Digital subtraction Angiography is the gold standard. It is an invasive test and XXXXXXX would be given through the femoral catheter and images of the cerebral vessels taken after some time. Final images will be the result of the cerebral images with vessels minus cerebral pictures and only blood vessels would be seen. Headache and pulsatile tinnitus are common features. Yours appear to be a non aggressive type of DAVF. As you are a nurse I am sure you would like to read more. An interesting article would be: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC0000.
It is simple article that would clear your doubts. Go for the angiography...

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad